Musical instrument.



v PATENTED NOV. 13, 1906. N. B'. LAWSON. MUSICAL INSTRUMENT.

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APPLICATION FILED was, 1904.

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PATENTED NOV. 13, 1906.

N. B. LAWSON. MUSICAL INSTRUMENT.

APPLICATION FILED AUG-2. 1904.

2 sums-sum 21 d lq 4- I UNITED STATES PATENT QFFICE.

MUSICAL INSTRUMENT.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 13, 1906.

Application filed August 2,1904. Serial No. 219,230.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, NORMAN B. LAWSON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Muskegon, in the county of Muskegon and State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Musical Instruments, of which the following is a specification.

The object of this invention is to construct a cylinder or disk of mechanically-operated musical instruments with removable keyop crating pins in order that the pins may be rearranged to play various pieces of music.

The further object of this invention is to provide some of the pins with a series of projections, the projections of a pin adapted to operate the same key in order that tremolos may be produced, which has heretofore been impossible owing to the inability to locate the pins close enough together.

The further object of this invention is to locate the holes receiving the pins in regular order ahd by the employment of the single and series pins to set up various pieces of music, and the further object of this invention is to enable the manufacturer to produce the blank-cylinders the duplicate of one another and disks the duplicate of one another, and by the employment of removable pins to set up different pieces of music, also to enable the purchaser of the musical instruments to set up at will such music as is desired.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is an outstretched face representation of a section of a cylinder, showing the arrangement of the openings. Fig. 2 is an outstretched face representation of a section of a cylinder in which a series of pins are arranged in con neotion therewith. Fig. 3 is an end view of a section of a cylinder in which a series of pins are shown in position. Fig. 4 shows perspective representations of the pins. Fig. 5 is a transverse section of a portion of a cylinder with some of the pins in position. Fig. 6 is a representation of a pin having projections.

As my improvements are applicable to both cylinder and disk operated musical instruments, I have not deemed it necesssary to show both constructions in the drawings.

The cylinder 1 has its outer surface or pe riphery provided with holes 2, arranged in rows extending in the lengthwise direction of the cylinder and also located in transverse annular rows. As the lengthwise rows of holes in the cylinder are a uniform distance apart, and consequently the holes in an annular row a uniform distance apart, it is evident that in order to set up different pieces of music some of the pins must be located between the holes in the annular rows in order to strike the keys at the proper time, and to ac complish this I have provided pins with a single offset projection and others with a plurality of projections. of holes in this instance are so spaced that eight rows are required for a measure of music, and if straight pins, like 3, only were used the same key could be struck eight times to the measure.

I have constructed a series of pins having from a single projection 3 to four projections 6, and the projections arranged in the various combinations, as shown from 3 to 17, inclusive, Fig. 4. The projections are arranged one or more thirty-seconds of a measure of music apart, so that if eight pins, like 6, were employed to a measure, a given key would be struck thirty-two times to the measure, and by the employment of a combination of different pins, a given key may be struck from one to thirty-two times to a measure, and in any of the thirty-two divisions of the measure.

By the arrangement of the pins shown at Fig, 4, any piece of music can be set up which does not employ notes faster than thirty-seconds, but by the employment of pins having projections corresponding to the sixty-fourth part of a measure sixty-four notes can be played.

It is very expensive to lay out and construct cylinders or disks with fixed pinsthat is, the location of pins must be predetermined, and when once in position remain there until the musical instrument employing it is laid aside. By the employment of my improvements all cylinders can be the duplicate of each other, in so far as the location of and number of pin-receiving openings are concerned, and the manipulator can set up any piece of music. After the musical instrument is sold, the purchaser can, by arranging the pins, set up the latest music Without going to the expense of purchasing a new cylinder or he can return the cylinder of his musical instrument to the factory, and the manufacturer can arrange the pins to produce the music desired.

The shanks 18 of the pins are conical and fit the conical openings in the cylinder, but it is evident that various means may be employed to hold the pins in connection with the cylinder without departing from the scope of my The lengthwise rows invention. It is evident that the pins may be located each side of the shank 18, as shown at Fi 6. 4

I claim as my invention 1. A musical instrument having a key-operating device including a movable member, a plurality of removable pins mounted on the latter, and projecting means on said pins, one of the pins having a single projecting means, and the remainder of said pins having a plurality of projecting means for operating the key. I

2. A musical instrument having a key-operating device including a movable surface provided with removable pins, and means )rojecting from the latter for operating the lrey.

3. A musical instrument having a key-op erating device including a pin having an offset, and means projecting from the latter for operating the key.

4. A musical instrument having a key-operating device, comprising a movable element having recesses arranged in circumferential rows, and a lurality of pins detachably mounted in t e recesses, and means formed integral with the pins for operating the key.

5. A key-operating device for musical instruments, comprising a movable surface providedwith pins, some of which are straight and others having a plurality of projections.

6. A key-operating device for musical instruments, comprising a movable surface providedwith pins, some of which are straight and others having an offset projection.

7. A key-operating device for musical in struments, comprising a movable surface provided withpins, some of which are straight and others having offset projections.

8. A key-operating device for musical instruments, comprising a movable surface provided with pins, some of which are straight and others having a continuation of the pin, and an offset projection.

9. A key-operating device for musical instruments, comprising a movable surface provided withpins, some of which are straight and others having a continuation of the pin, and offset portions.

10 A key-operating device for musical instruments, comprising a movable surface provided withpins, some of which are straight, others having an offset projection, and others having a continuation of the pin, and an offset portion.

1.1. A key-operating device for musical instruments, comprising a movable surface provided withpins, some of which are straight, others having an offset portion, and others having a continuation of the pins and offset portion.

12. A key-operating device for musical instruments, comprising a movable surface provided with pins, some of which are straight, others with an offset, others with offsets, others with straight and offset, and. others straight with offsets.

13. A musical instrument having a set of key-operating pins, each having projections, one of projections being arranged. a distance from the said pin.

14. A musical instrument having a set of key-operating pins provided with projections, said projections on each of the pins being arranged in the vertical plane of the latter and at a distance therefrom.

15. A musical instrument having a plurality of key-operating pins, an offset carried by each of the pins, and a projection extending therefrom in the same vertical plane with the said pins and arranged at a distance therefrom.

16. A cylinder for musical instruments, having a series of straight pins, and a series of pins each provided. with an offset.

17. A cylinder for musical instruments having a series of straight pins, and a series of pins each provided with offsets.

18. A cylinder for musical instruments having a series of straight pins, and a series of straight pins each having an offset.

19. A cylinder for musical instruments having -a series of straight pins, and a series of straight pins each having offsets.

20. A cylinder for musical instruments having a series of straight pins, a series of pins each having an offset, and a series of straight pins each having an offset.

21. A cylinder for musical instruments having a series of straight pins, a series of pins each having offsets, and a series of straight pins each having offsets.

22. In a musical instrument, a plurality of keys, a movable element having recesses arranged in rows, removable pin members carried in the recesses of the rows, and offset projecting means on each of the said pin members for operating the keys.

NORMAN B. LAWSON.

Witnesses:

MAUDE BAKER, MAE A. RooKENBAoH. 

